Vacuum cylinder-drainage apparatus.



No. 683,424. Patented Oct. l, I90}. .1. B. ALLFBEE.

VACUUM GYLI NDER DRAINAGE APPARATUS. (Application filed. my 94, 1699.)

(Io Modal.)

WITNESSES /N VENTOI? .v A aw ATTORNEY.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. ALLFREE, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

\ IACUUM CYLINDER-DRAINAGE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 683,424, dated October 1, 1901- Applioation filed May 24, 1899. Serial No. 717,978. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES B. ALLFREE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum Cylinder- Drainage Apparatus, of which the following specification is a full description.

My invention relates, primarily, to the forced drainage of the Water of condensation accumulating in the steam chest and cylinderof steam'engines, and especially in the operation of high-class steam-engines, in which for purposes of economy the clearance has been brought to the lowest limit, wherefore said accumulation of water is materially more hazardous than in lower class engine practice; and to attain the object of my invention I provide a vacuum-chamber having branch pipes communicating with the ends of the cylinder Where Water of condensation accumulates, which in operation is rapidly withdrawn from the cylinder into said vacuum-chamber and discharged therefrom.

My invention and its application are fully shown and described by the accompanying drawings and following specification.

Figure 1 is a broken side elevation of an engine having my invention connected there to. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail longitudinalvertical sectional view through center of my device. Fig. 3 is a partial broken end View of cylinder and steam-pipe connecting between the steam-chest and the vacuum-chamber.

ct represents an ordinary steam-engine cylinder.

6 represents my vacuum device.

0 0 represent the vacuum chamber and branches leading thereto, said branches at outer ends being provided with screw-threads by means of which are attached branch pipes c c, which lead from and communicate with the ends of the cylinder by means of the intervening cylinder drain-cocks c c and their connections.

At d I provide a steam-jet inlet-nozzle, preferably contracted in its bore to near its discharge in order that the highest possible velocity of steam may be attained and again widened in its bore, so as to give more positive direction to the expanding volume and increasing velocity of steam, whereby the greatest possible intensity of vacuum is produced. At the outer end of this inlet-nozzle is provided a screw-thread, to which is connected the steam-pipe d, which is in this case shown as attached to the steam-chest, which, however, may tap anylive-steam pipe or chamber and is necessarily provided with a valve (1 by which steam may be admitted to or withheld from said vacuum device, as its use is needed but for a moment at time of starting the engine.

At 19 is the discharge branch from said vacuum-chamber and is provided at outer end by a screw-thread by which is connected the discharge-pipe e, by which the drainage is conducted away.

In operation, the use of my device being of only momentary necessity,the cylinder draincocks c c are fully opened, after which the steam-throttle d is opened for a moment, when the cylinder is at once drained of all condensation as a result of the high vacuum formed outside of the cylinder, While at the same time whatsoever condensation may have accumulated in the steam-chest or valvechamber Will be carried away, whereafter it is safe to start the engine rapidly, running up to full speed, there being no risk of damage from condensation in the cylinder, as before stated. I

I deem myself at liberty in the practice and use of my invention to apply it in such various forms as may fall fairly within the spirit and scope thereof, and

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a cylinder-drainage device, a double vacuum-chamber having its induction-openings connected with the cylinder drain-cock and its steam supply connected with the steam-chest, as described.

2. In a steam-cylinder-drainage device,the combination with a cylinder, a drainagevacuum-chamber, drainage induction-openings connected respectively with each end of said cylinder, a steam-supply opening connected tothe live-steam chest of said cylinder at such a point in said chest that all water of condensation will be carried along when steam is supplied to said chamber and means for controlling and admitting steam to said vacu u m-chamber and a stea m-pressu re whereby a vacuum is produced Within said chamber and ends of said cylinder, whereby water of condensation is so rapidly removed as to prevent all danger of damage due to water of condensation in engines of high class having low clearance, substantially as specified.

3. In a steam-cylinder vacuum-drainage device a cylinder a vacuum-chamber, means for connecting said vacuum-chamber to both ends of said cylinder and a steam-pressure whereby a vacuum is produced within said chamber, combined substantially as shown and described.

4. In a cylinder vacuum-drainage device, the combination with a cylinder, a steam name.

JAMES B. ALLFREE. Witnesses:

A. L. TEETOR, E. B. HETZEL. 

